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Hibiki Higoromo/Synopsis
Plot Volume 1 Hibiki first appears in the story disguised as Kurumi Tokisaki: more specifically, using her body. She is first seen in Malkuth, waiting for somebody on the city streets. Upon meeting a girl named Empty, who is actually Kurumi in Hibiki’s body, Hibiki introduces herself as Kurumi Tokisaki, and eludes to knowing who and what Empty is. After answering Empty’s incessant questions about her existence, she states that she’s there to meet an opponent. She engages in battle soon after Quasi-Spirit Yume Inui arrives, and kills her with ease, much to Empty’s amazement and fear. Hibiki then takes Empty with her to the school building, and announces that she will kill the Quasi-Spirits in there and participate in the killing game set up by the Doll Master. Hibiki then enters the school building with Empty in tow, presenting her invitation to a doll and, after gaining entry, enters the classroom where the other Quasi-Spirits are gathered. She orders Empty to act as her bait or decoy. Upon entering the classroom, Hibiki introduces herself as Kurumi Tokisaki to the others and states that she is a Spirit, full of self-confidence. This incites a mixture of emotions, mainly fear and anger, from the others in the room. After her introduction, she sits down and orders Empty to gather intel on the others for. In the mean time, each of the Quasi-Spirits head out, with Hibiki going last as she drew the short straw. Hibiki and Empty are immediately ambushed by Aiai Nogi upon leaving the classroom, however Hibiki dispatches Aiai with ease and without visible remorse. She harshly rebukes Empty for questioning her ruthlessness, and the two leave the scene. At dusk, Hibiki elects to retire for the night, stating that tomorrow will entail more killing. They enter a house and Hibiki retreats into the bedroom, leaving Empty alone. However, Empty finds Hibiki sobbing incessantly against a pillow after going to wish her goodnight. The next day, after breakfast, they go to the mall. Instead of going there to shop like Empty presumed, Hibiki plans to wait out an inevitable ambush. Once revealing this to Empty, they are immediately attacked by Ayame Takeshita and Isami Hijikata. Their attacks are largely ineffective, and Isami is killed. At this moment, a Compile event occurs. She and Empty are separated, and after killing Ayame, Hibiki is attacked by Sheri Musika and is forced to flee. She is then approached by a doll who informs her that Empty was taken as hostage, and she elects to go and rescue her. Hibiki, using Kurumi’s powers over shadow, sneaks through the shadows and pretends to kill Empty in order to lure Sheri and Furue Tonami into a trap. It was revealed that Hibiki had taken precautions after anticipating a move a trap and ambush, and turned the tables on the two in order to throw them off. She succeeds in killing Furue, however Sheri proves to be a tougher opponent and a counterattack costs Hibiki her right arm. She opts to chase after Sheri, who is killed. Hibiki and Empty return back to the house they stayed at the day earlier, and Hibiki reattaches her amputated right arm. The two share some time together, and Hibiki’s facade as Kurumi falters. She hints at her true identity before Empty shakes her out of it, fearing that Hibiki is turning into an Empty. Hibiki regains her composure, but is soon ailed by the pain of reconnecting her arm. She and Empty discuss love after Empty’s experience falling into the Compile, before Hibiki reveals that she had an important friend, and reveals that her plan is to kill the Doll Master in order to avenge her friend- later revealed to be Yue Hiryu. The two then fall asleep. Hibiki is confronted by Tsuan the next morning, who reveals that they are the only two left alive. Hibiki accepts Tsuan’s challenge to fight, and the three leave to find a more suitable battleground. However, Hibiki attacks Tsuan stealthily and without warning. The two engage in an intense battle, with Tsuan proving to be a difficult opponent. The two are forced to a stalemate, with both exhausted and sore after a vicious battle. They are interrupted by the dolls of the previously killed participants of the killing game, released from False Proxy’s body. Hibiki grows enraged after seeing the disgusting parody of the Quasi-Spirits that were killed over the past few days, but has the wherewithal to tell Empty to hide, and vaguely reveals the truth about her identity to her. She doesn’t elaborate, however, and instead forces Empty to hide in the sewer system below the city. Hibiki then fires a shot with her flintlock and sets off an explosion, detonating over 200 Astral Dresses in order to achieve a cataclysmic level of destruction that flattens a large portion of the city. Hibiki presumes victory and goes to sit down, noting that her vengeance will soon be realized. Panie approaches her after hearing her murmuring about Yue, and reveals a doll. That doll is Yue Hiryu, and Panie orders the doll to kill Hibiki, stating that if she was truly Kurumi Tokisaki, she would have no issues with dispatching this particular doll. Hibiki, however, is not Kurumi. She opens her arms to the Yue doll, as if to embrace her, and accepts being stabbed through the chest. Empty then manages to save Hibiki before she is killed, and puts distance between them and Panie in order to try and tend to her wounds. Hibiki, in a badly injured state, finally reveals the truth to Empty. She tells Empty, who is the real Kurumi Tokisaki, that she is Hibiki Higoromo and had stolen Kurumi’s body through her Unsigned Angel after finding her in a near-death state in Malkuth. She took her body, personality, and powers all in order to avenge Yue, in the only way she knew how. The two then return to their true bodies. After Kurumi massacres the dolls and brings Doll Master down from her headquarters, Hibiki finds Kurumi loitering in the debris. She thanks Kurumi for healing her, before approaching Doll Master. Kurumi tells her that she wanted Hibiki to deliver the final blow as it was her desire to enact revenge. Hibiki takes Kurumi’s flintlock pistol and aims it at Doll Master. Ignoring the dolls trying to protect her and after expressing her sympathy for Doll Master, she shoots her. Shortly after, she breaks down into tears as a way of expressing her mixed emotions. Hibiki then offers to follow Kurumi Tokisaki on her journey through the Neighboring World. Since she's achieved her life goal of revenge, she has nothing else to do. She says that her Sephira fragment is telling her to follow Kurumi, and upon Kurumi accepting, cheers happily. As the two then two prepare to set off to the Ninth Region Yesod, Hibiki begins to explain to Kurumi the importance of idols in that region. Volume 2 Hibiki and Kurumi leave Malkuth after Hibiki demonstrates the painful process of passing through the gate. After running over the Shamayim Kaveesh and entering through the gate to Yesod, the two are confronted by a small guard squadron who are a terrified of the intruders. Hibiki tells Kurumi to surrender, and after identifying themselves (and encouraging Kurumi to lie about her status as a Spirit), Hibiki asks to see the Dominion: Mizuha Banouin. She is confused, recalling the Dominion as Rinemu Kirari. Nonetheless she accepts that there is a new Dominion, and she and Kurumi go to find her. During their trip, Hibiki acts like a tour guide. She points out the various occurrences playing out around them, naming buildings and explaining the ways of Yesod and idols to Kurumi. They arrive at the Dominion’s building shortly after, and Kurumi inches towards violence when dealing with Mizuha's receptionist who denies their request to see Mizuha. Hibiki quickly diffuses the situation, explaining that killing someone now would end Kurumi’s journey almost immediately. They are then able to get through to see Mizuha, who states that she will only open the gate under the conditions that Kurumi is to debut as an AA-rank idol. Hibiki displays expert negotiation skills, having brought down Mizuha’s original statement of S rank to AA-rank to try and increase Kurumi’s chances of achieving the difficult task. Suddenly, they are interrupted by a Quasi-Spirit who gushes over Hibiki, stating that she is a legendary idol producer that goes by the name “Hibi. P”. Hibiki changes into a suit and dons sunglasses to prove the legend and to inspire Kurumi. The two then reconvene in a local cafe, and talk over tea. Hibiki manages to convince a begrudging Kurumi that becoming an idol, despite her disgust, is the best and only way to advance further. Kurumi eventually agrees, and the two head off to train. Hibiki is shown to be a tough, competent and supportive trainer, which Kurumi appreciates very much despite how exhausting it is. After a week passes, she prepares Kurumi on the day of the performance and encourages her. After her performance, Hibiki congratulates her, before their reverie is stopped by none other than Tsuan, who goes on to perform and blow Kurumi’s performance out of the water with her own, much to Hibiki’s horror and annoyance. After her performance, the host announces the standings of each participant. They are informed that Kurumi failed to meet the agreed criteria, as she debuted as an A rank rather than AA. Hibiki, annoyed, confronts Mizuha with Kurumi and attempts to gain some form of leeway in changing Kurumi’s rank by questioning her involvement with Tsuan, but Mizuha shuts it down. Hibiki and Kurumi leave thereafter, dejected. They return to the cafe, and Hibiki points out that no matter what they do, they’re going to be in Yesod for a long time. Their discussion is cut short as the two overhear a conversation between two other Quasi-Spirits, Rinemu Kirari and Mayuka Momozono. Hibiki is shocked upon seeing the ex-Dominion, and eavesdrops on the conversation the two are engaging in. They witness Rinemu, on Mayuka’s instruction, hurry off to go retrieve the from the Dream Cradle to restore her voice. However, Hibiki and Kurumi overhear Mayuka’s true ill-intentions, and once she and her bodyguard Rook, leave, Hibiki and Kurumi go after Rinemu. After catching Rinemu and exchanging some verbal spars, decide on an agreement. They agree that if they help Rinemu retrieve the and she returns to her position as Dominion, that she will let Hibiki and Kurumi pass onto the next region. They begin their travel, and talk about Empty and the regions. Hibiki is elbowed by Kurumi, and Hibiki notably responds in a strangely delighted manner. The group then arrives at a building mostly segregated from society, and the three go take a shower with Hibiki washing Rinemu’s hair to try and distract her from her self deprecating thoughts. They then elect to go to bed, with Kurumi and Hibiki sharing a bed. The next morning they set off once more, and end up in the Dream Cradle, where they witness an Empty die before their very eyes. This leaves Rinemu distraught, and Hibiki elects for the three of them to stay as a group and search for the together in order to support Rinemu and ensure she doesn’t miss it due to her shaken up mood. After scouring the area to no avail, Hibiki points out that they had checked everything but the roller coaster ahead. The three fly up towards it, and discover a black rain that supposedly holds the within it. The issue is that the rain subjects those who walk into it to memories: the memories of Miku Izayoi, the Spirit of Yesod. Hibiki follows Kurumi in, trusting that Kurumi using Dalet will suppress any mental damage done by the rain. They note that Rinemu, especially in the state she is in, might not survive it. Nonetheless, Rinemu follows them in as well. Rinemu wonders how Hibiki and Kurumi can withstand the rain, to which Hibiki replies that this kind of malice isn’t foreign to her due to her past and her time in the Tenth Region. Kurumi urges Rinemu on by stating that she and Hibiki are her fans, and so they continue. They eventually find the , and after retrieving it, go to leave. However, Rinemu is still nervous. Sensing this, Hibiki begins muttering to herself until she comes up with a plan, and excitedly rushes their departure, leaving the other two confused as to what she devised. They are all attacked by mercenaries sent by Mayuka upon leaving, however Kurumi kills them before any harm could be done, to Rinemu’s horror. Rinemu tries to reason that Mayuka probably wasn’t the one who sent the mercenaries, but Hibiki puts her into a choke-hold and forces her to faint, cheerfully stating that Kurumi’s influence inspired her to be ‘tougher’. They then move on towards the Central District. Hibiki reveals that her plan involves Tsuan, Rinemu and Kurumi forming an idol group and singing on the main stage. They track Tsuan down, and Hibiki in her “Hibi. P” persona, cannily announces that she wants Tsuan to join in order to return Rinemu’s voice and her place on stage, and that helping them will make Kurumi indebted to Tsuan. This prospect results in Tsuan immediately accepting. After some time elapses, Hibiki organizes the group’s collaboration and choreography for the performance. Soon after, they hijack the concert by sweeping Mizuha from the stage during her song. Their song is a success, until Rook charges onstage and takes the from Rinemu. Kurumi and Rook trade blows, resulting in the latter fleeing. Hibiki then rushes over upon Kurumi’s request, and is told that she is to follow Kurumi into battle against Rook. Hibiki accepts. Upon engaging in battle with Rook, Kurumi has Tsuan obscure Rook’s vision with a blizzard. It is revealed that Kurumi and Hibiki organized a strategy via cellphone where Hibiki would copy Kurumi’s body and confuse Rook, allowing Kurumi to sneak up behind Rook while Hibiki, disguised as her, kept her attention for long enough to deceive her. Hibiki states that she’s proud to be relied on for such an important task, and says that she knew it was worth risking her life for Kurumi, and to hear words of gratitude from her. Before killing Rook, Kurumi hesitates upon hearing a sound from Hibiki. She rushes over to Hibiki, who was in the process of having a spear removed from her body by Tsuan. Hibiki smiles and cheerfully states that she succeeded, which earns her a punch in the head from Kurumi- done out of care due to her reckless behaviour. They are then approached by the White Queen, leaving Hibiki shocked and uneasy at the turn of events. After a disturbing display of dynamic between the White Queen and Rook, Kurumi orders Hibiki to run. Hibiki doesn’t like it, and hesitates, until Kurumi requests that she wants Hibiki to call for help. Regretfully, she does as she’s told and escapes. Volume 3 The White Queen defeats Kurumi in battle and takes her as a prisoner in an injured state, and transporting her back to Binah required a warp gate through space. The White Queen and Rook leave the gate open, and Hibiki who hadn’t fled the scene takes the opportunity to jump through after them, determined to save Kurumi. Kurumi wakes up in a cell with a clone of herself. After establishing boundaries, who they are and the enemy that is the White Queen, they hear someone’s voice and see the iron gate to their cell open. Through it steps one of the White Queen’s Pawns, wearing a maid’s outfit and wheeling a cart for the prisoner’s meals. Kurumi instantly recognizes the Pawn as Hibiki, judging from her appearance, though she is immediately horrified upon seeing that the Pawn has no reaction, expression, or life in her eyes. She doesn’t respond to being called Hibiki- that is, until the gate slams shut behind her and she drops her act completely. The Pawn is, in fact, revealed to be Hibiki who infiltrated the White Queen’s castle, using her looks- nearly identical to those of the Empty- to her advantage. Kurumi embraces Hibiki painfully but appreciatively, and Hibiki states that she won’t apologize for rescuing her. After they pull away, they realize that they can’t escape unless the chains binding Kurumi are broken. Hibiki states, upon being asked, that her Unsigned Angel, isn’t physically powerful enough to cut through the chains. Her claws aren’t made for melee, but more for the symbolic plundering of identity. Kurumi asks Hibiki to retrieve Zafkiel, which had been taken from her by the White Queen, and Hibiki is appalled at being asked such a difficult feat. They realise that the White Queen is absent, and Kurumi comes up with an idea upon hearing this: Hibiki disguises herself as the White Queen and steals Zafkiel. It's dangerous, however Hibiki accepts and extracts the memories of the White Queen’s appearance, demeanor, voice and speech patterns from Kurumi’s clone’s memories as she knows her appearance well due to being subjected to torture by her hand. Hibiki then leaves the prison, and she is incredibly nervous. The Empty in the castle assume she is the White Queen as her imitation is perfect, however the issue lays not within her appearance, but her manner. Hibiki is conscious of the fact that any imperfection or wrong moves will result in her being found out and likely executed. She follows the clone’s directions, and runs into a small group of Pawns. She addresses them like she assumes the White Queen would, and she is told that Rook is looking for her, which chills Hibiki. She knows that Rook and the White Queen have direct conversations often, thus meaning that Rook knows the White Queen’s mannerisms better. Furthermore, Hibiki’s combat ability is swamped by Rook’s, and she is concerned that she will be killed easily upon being discovered. Nevertheless, Rook approaches her and Hibiki succeeds in diverting her away, instead opting to follow a nearby Pawn to the treasure room, where Zafkiel is held. Hibiki talks to the Pawn as they walk, and curiously asks her if she’s happy, to which the answer is yes as she is able to serve the White Queen. Hibiki’s conscience hinders her, and she finds herself wanting to encourage the Pawn to value life more. However, she is also aware that saying such a thing will compromise her, and begrudgingly replies as the White Queen would. Hibiki also ponders over the fact that her thoughts about Kurumi are similar to those of the Empty to the White Queen. This troubles Hibiki deeply. They finally reach the armory, and Hibiki again struggles with the urge to persuade the Pawn to not give up her life so easily upon hearing her words. She holds herself back, before reaching for Zafkiel’s flintlock pistol. Upon hearing the Pawn mock the pistol, Hibiki accidentally slips into Kurumi’s personality, the residual traits still within her mind after her time in her body, and has to cover up her uncharacteristic response with a joke. Nonetheless, she takes Zafkiel and thanks the Pawn for her services. This turns out to be a dreadful mistake, as the Pawn suddenly snaps and becomes eerily still, asking why she was thanked. She then declares that Hibiki is an imposter, and goes to shoot her dead. Hibiki acts first, and shoots the Pawn, killing her instantly. Realising that the gunshot would have alerted anyone in the castle, she breaks into a sprint back to the dungeon. Hibiki arrives back safely, giving Kurumi her gun. Kurumi breaks herself free from the chains with Zafkiel. They agree to leave, with Kurumi trying to leave her clone behind until Hibiki urges her to bring her along as well, and cuts through the tension the two have. She also dubs the clone as “Kurumi II.” Hibiki offers to help Kurumi II up, and is declined, before Kurumi II realises she can’t walk. Hibiki then picks her up, deciding to carry her while they make their escape. Kurumi kicks open the door, and upon being greeted by a group of Pawns, uses the to kill them. The trio then feel the castle shake, assuming a Compile is occurring. It is revealed that Rook is rearranging the castle to prevent their escape. After the rearrangement, they set off to try and escape Binah before the White Queen’s return. They talk during their journey, with Kurumi expressing her annoyance over Hibiki stealing her body back in Malkuth, and the two engage in somewhat-friendly banter. They eventually come across a garden, exclusively made up of flowers. Hibiki queries if they’re able to escape, seeing as the sky is visible in the garden, though it is revealed that the sky is fake, and Kurumi isn’t able to pass above a certain level due to an invisible barrier in the way. Kurumi II renames herself as Cistus, inspired by the beauty of the flowers surrounding them. After a long time of running, they finally reach a door that marks the end of the field of flowers. Kurumi touches it, and is suddenly aged down to seven years old, much to her horror and Hibiki’s delight. Hibiki gushes over young Kurumi, much to her annoyance. They wonder why the room’s decorations and furniture are so large, with the chairs being nearly ten metres tall. They get their answer shortly as a giant monstrosity enters and attacks the three of them. Kurumi is slammed into the wall by the giant, dubbed ‘Jabberwocky’, and Hibiki opens fire on it with Kurumi’s pistol to no avail. The trio are saved by giant playing cards in the form of 2D girls, revealed to be the product of Carte À Jouer’s . After being led away, they meet with Carte, who promises to lead them to a room that holds the key to returning Kurumi’s age back to normal, but requires a battle against a creature called the Snark. Hibiki takes a disliking towards Carte, and it isn’t long before the two fire petty verbal jabs at one another in mutual hostility. Cistus silently communicates with Hibiki that she doesn’t trust Carte, to which Hibiki agrees. The group travels through the castle and another room before reaching one filled with Empty hanging by their necks from the ceiling, akin to zombies. Hibiki and Carte start arguing again, wanting the other to go first until Kurumi volunteers, and ends up triggering all the zombie-esque Empty into attacking them, until Hibiki ensures the next room is safe and they all escape, along with Carte’s cards. Their journey continues, and as they systematically travel through the castle, Hibiki reflects on Carte’s strength after seeing her fight, noting that her skill comes less from brute force and more from strategy and trickery, much like Kurumi. They reach a door that has an astronomical clock on it, and are required to solve a riddle in order to enter, which they do after everybody pitches in their knowledge. Hibiki and Carte are left behind to guard the door, while Kurumi and Cistus go to hunt the Snark. They succeed in killing it, find the room where Kurumi’s lost time is stored, and systematically plunder it by destroying watches that change her age after inviting Hibiki and Carte back in. Hibiki seems to lose control after seeing Kurumi’s various appearances at different ages, and promptly suffers a nosebleed as a result. Hibiki also cries once Kurumi returns to her usual age, saddened over the loss of seven-year-old Kurumi. At this moment, a Compile occurs, and the Jabberwocky returns. Wanting to see her memories of the real world, Kurumi dives into the Compile without hesitation, and after experiencing it, kills the Jabberwocky. Hibiki and the others rush in, and Hibiki states that she hopes Kurumi doesn’t run away again, like she did when the Compile occurred moments ago. Despite sounding cheerful, Hibiki is gloomy, worried that Kurumi will leave her. Carte and Hibiki eventually have privacy at Carte’s request, and after being asked why, Carte immediately accuses Hibiki of ill intentions towards Kurumi. Hibiki is appalled and shoots back a retort, with the two readying their Unsigned Angels and Carte’s cards surrounding Hibiki. Hibiki falsely declares that she has evidence of Carte’s malicious intentions, which flusters her. After bickering some more, Hibiki asks Carte if she had met Cistus before, to which she confirms. Hibiki, feeling uncomfortable, questions why Carte pretended their encounter earlier to be their first, as if she had never met Cistus. Carte says that she did so at Cistus’ request. Hibiki then realises that this was a trap, and that Cistus was deceiving the both of them in order to harm Kurumi. They race to try and stop Cistus, but are interrupted by a squadron of Empties. While fighting, they continue to argue, until their enemies are dispatched by seven-year-old Kurumi, who was resurrected from Kurumi’s shadow. She leads them away, while Kurumi after having swallowed Cistus into her shadow, prepares to fight the White Queen. Kurumi nearly loses the battle, and Hibiki and Carte return to see her at the brink of death. Hibiki realises that any action is futile, until Kurumi suddenly turns the tables and lands a deadly blow on the White Queen. They manage to stall the White Queen, and young Kurumi yanks Hibiki and Carte away while Cistus steals the White Queen’s saber in order to slice open an escape route, with all of them fleeing at the expense of young Kurumi’s life. The White Queen tries to stop them, but is unable to in her wounded state. Hibiki and Kurumi are separated. Hibiki and Carte awaken tied up in a foreign area, being questioned by Retsumi Jugasaki as to if they will join her rebellion, or side with Kareha Banouin. Volume 4 Volume 5 Category:Synopsis